Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danworth (recommended by Abby)
This is a perfect book to sink your teeth into this spooky season: a creepy, queer, absorbing metafiction about a haunted boarding school. Dual narratives – one in the early 1900s at the Rhode Island boarding school and one in modern day Hollywood – weave in and out, piecing together an eerie story of forbidden love, unjust consequences, and strong ladies getting revenge. This was a book I didn’t want to end (and that’s saying a lot because I love finishing books).
(print) (ebook on OverDrive) (audiobook on OverDrive) (ebook on Hoopla) (audiobook on Hoopla)
The Grip of It by Jac Jemc (recommended by Cierra)
James and Julie are touring a house in the suburbs when they hear a strange noise. The realtor tells them not to worry, that it’s just the house settling. …but is it? They move in, both happy to start fresh after James’s penchant for gambling and general inability to keep his impulses in check made their previous life untenable. But their new house, which sits between a lake and a forest, has its own plans for the unsuspecting couple. This is a great pick for lovers of classic haunted house stories and The Shining.
(print) (audiobook on OverDrive)
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix (recommended by Adrienne)
Don’t let the title scare you off because yes, the concept is a little weird. However, if you are a fan of Stranger Things and looking for your next fix of 80’s vibes, hardcore tight-knit friendships, and a strong dose of spooky – you have to read this book! It is more “ewww” than “ahhh!” with gross descriptions and creepy vibes instead of jump scares or ghostly hauntings. This book will keep you awake at night not because you are afraid to close your eyes, but because you are tearing up thinking of your own best friend and the lengths you would go to save them from a demon. Content warning: there is physical harm to an animal but it is done “off-screen” so to speak and generally handled tactfully
(print) (ebook on OverDrive) (audiobook on OverDrive) (audiobook on Hoopla)
Near the Bone by Christina Henry (recommended by Joe)
Mattie can’t remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they’re not alone after all. There’s something in the woods that wasn’t there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws. When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry.
(print) (ebook on OverDrive) (audiobook on OverDrive)
Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (recommended by Melinda)
This graphic novel was described as “Pretty Little Liars” meets “Teen Wolf,” but I think there’s a little “Mean Girls” and a little “Jennifer’s Body” in there as well. Becca’s at a new school in San Francisco, worried she won’t fit in. But she’s soon approached by the school’s coolest girls: Marley, Arianna, and Mandy. When they attend a party together on a full moon night, Becca is let in on the group’s dark secret: they’re werewolves, and they have to kill and eat humans to survive. Their prey of choice is boys who take advantage of vulnerable girls at parties. Surely that’s a small price to pay for perfect skin and high social status, right? When things get complicated, Becca isn’t so sure, and the pack begins to crumble under the pressure. Anyone interested in the intersection of teen girl power dynamics and horror movie monsters should dive in.
